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Cori Bush, a Democratic candidate in the upcoming U.S. Senate primary election in Missouri, speaks to attendees to a Black Lives Matter rally held at Park Central Square in Springfield, Mo. on July 9, 2016.
Guillermo Hernandez Martinez/News-Leader

Paytre McCrimmons is overcome with emotion as she speaks to a crowd gathered for a Black Lives Matter rally held at Park Central Square in Springfield, Mo. on July 9, 2016.
Guillermo Hernandez Martinez/News-Leader

Rally-goers listen to Vicke Kepling as she reads out a Black Eyed Peas song during a Black Lives Matter rally held at Park Central Square in Springfield, Mo. on July 9, 2016.
Guillermo Hernandez Martinez/News-Leader

Brandi Trotter uses her camera phone as she marches along with others during a Black Lives Matter rally held at Park Central Square in Springfield, Mo. on July 9, 2016.
Guillermo Hernandez Martinez/News-Leader

Cori Bush, a Democratic candidate in the upcoming U.S. Senate primary election in Missouri, speaks to attendees to a Black Lives Matter rally held at Park Central Square in Springfield, Mo. on July 9, 2016.
Guillermo Hernandez Martinez/News-Leader

Tamya, 12, holds a sign as she marches with other rally-goers during a Black Lives Matter rally held at Park Central Square in Springfield, Mo. on July 9, 2016.
Guillermo Hernandez Martinez/News-Leader

Rally goers observe a moment of silence for victims of the Dallas attacks and police shootings during a Black Lives Matter rally held at Park Central Square in Springfield, Mo. on July 9, 2016.
Guillermo Hernandez Martinez/News-Leader

Organizers Leila Ismaio and Karina Bratkkov lead rally-goers in chants during a Black Lives Matter rally held at Park Central Square in Springfield, Mo. on July 9, 2016.
Guillermo Hernandez Martinez/News-Leader

Close to 200 people joined together on Park Central Square Saturday evening to take part in a Black Lives Matter rally, with the aim of promoting peace and bringing attention to the recent deaths of two black men killed by police officers.

The three teenage girls who organized the rally — Lauren Lawson, Leila Ismaio and Karina Bratkov — said it came together after Lawson and Ismaio interacted on Twitter in their respective despair at the events of the past week.

They decided the conversation would need to go further than 140 characters.

"People think a hashtag will fix things," Ismaio said. "It's not a bad start, but they can do so much more."

And so here they stood, in front of a crowd marching around the square chanting "Hands up, don't shoot!" and "Increase the peace, silence the violence!"

Several people got onstage to speak to the gathered people, including Cori Bush, a Democratic candidate for the upcoming U.S. Senate election in Missouri.

"I don't hate police. I hate police brutality," said Bush, who told the crowd that she was in Ferguson after the death of Michael Brown and had been thrown to the ground and stomped by six police officers.

She pointed out several of the officers around the square and said she still suffers from PTSD whenever she sees a police officer.

A young woman named Paytre McCrimmons took the stage later in the evening, becoming emotional as she discussed her young son she cares for as a single mother.

"How do I tell him what to do when he gets pulled over?" McCrimmons said through tears.

The organizers specifically singled out Jason Ozolins, who was attending the rally while holding a sign that said "Dear Pigs: What goes around comes around," for not fitting into the "peaceful" theme of the rally.

Ozolins said he didn't disagree with them but that he had "a different idea of tactics."

"Non-violence isn't bad," Ozolins said. "But it only works if people listen."

When he held up a second sign — thanking Micah Johnson, who killed five police officers in Dallas on Thursday night, for his "sacrifice" — two people walked over and told a News-Leader reporter, "I don't think anyone else here agrees with him."

When Amber Lewis got on stage, she brought several of her young children, nieces and nephews.

Several of them held signs with messages such as "All lives can't matter until black lives matter" and "I am 3 years old, my future shouldn't be judged by color."

Lewis said she was disappointed in the events of the past week but also hopeful to see so many people out in support.

She then handed the microphone to her 6-year-old daughter Kemya, who shyly looked out over the crowd for a moment before speaking.